1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a head unit for use in an ejection apparatus equipped with a main carriage which moves relative to a workpiece. It relates in particular; to a head unit for an ejection apparatus having mounted a function liquid droplet ejection head, as represented by an ink jet head, on a subsidiary carriage which is detachably held by a main carriage of the ejection apparatus; to an ejection apparatus equipped with the head unit; to a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, a method of manufacturing an organic electroluminescence (EL) device, a method of manufacturing an electron emission device, a method of manufacturing a plasma display panel (PDP) device, a method of manufacturing an electrophoretic display device, a method of manufacturing a color filter, and to a method of manufacturing an organic EL; as well as to a method of forming a spacer, a method of forming a metallic wiring, a method of forming a lens, a method of forming a resist, and a method of forming a light diffusion body.
2. Description of Related Art
An ink jet head of an ink jet printer (a liquid droplet ejection head) is capable of ejecting very minute ink droplets (liquid droplets) in the form of dots at a high accuracy. Therefore, it is expected to apply the liquid droplet ejection head to the field of manufacturing various kinds of parts by using, as the liquid to be ejected, function liquids such as special inks, photosensitive resins, or the like.
For example, it is considered to carry out the following operations. Namely, an ejection apparatus equipped with a main carriage which moves relative to the workpiece such as a substrate of a color filter, or the like, is used. A head unit having mounted a plurality of function liquid droplet ejection heads on a subsidiary carriage which is detachably held by a main carriage of the ejection apparatus, is carried into the ejection apparatus. By the movement of the main carriage in this state, the head unit is relatively moved against the workpiece to thereby eject the liquid crystal material or the organic light emitting material from each of the function liquid droplet ejection heads. The liquid crystal display device, organic EL display device, or the like, is thus manufactured.
In this case, in order to supply the liquid such as the liquid crystal material or the organic EL material to the function liquid droplet ejection heads, the piping material which is connected to a liquid supply tank provided in the ejection apparatus is detachably connected to liquid introduction ports of the function liquid droplet ejection heads. The piping material is also removed or detached from the liquid introduction ports to thereby enable the replacement of the head unit by removing the piping material.
The function liquid droplet ejection heads are provided with a pump part which sends the liquid under pressure to each of the ejection nozzles formed in the ejection heads, and a wiring connector part for use by the pump part. When the piping material is detachably connected to the liquid introduction ports of the function liquid droplet ejection heads, the liquid is likely to be adhered to the wiring connector part as a result of running (or flowing/dripping) of the liquid out of the piping material at the time of removing the piping material, resulting in a mechanical failure of the related parts of the apparatus.
In view of the above points, this invention provides a head unit for use in an ejection apparatus in which the liquid flowing or running to the wiring connector part can be prevented, as well as an ejection apparatus having mounted thereon the head unit. This invention also provides a method of manufacturing an LCD device, a method of manufacturing an organic EL device, a method of manufacturing an electron emission device, a method of manufacturing a PDP device, a method of manufacturing an electrophoretic display device, a method of manufacturing a color filter, a method of forming an organic EL, a method of forming a spacer, a method of forming a metallic wiring, a method of forming a lens, a method of forming a resist, and a method of forming a light diffusion body.